Reduced height trigger guard

ABSTRACT

A lower receiver for a rifle that comprises a rear surface defining a concave handgrip receptacle having a vertical tangent point at a first level. A trigger guard in part defines a trigger opening; the trigger opening having an upper limit surface at a second level below the first level; and a trigger lever extending downwardly from the upper limit surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Number 63/235,313, filed on Aug. 20, 2021, entitled “REDUCED HEIGHT TRIGGER GUARD”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to trigger guards.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

This invention was motivated by regulatory compliance. It is restricting the exposed trigger size while still giving reasonable performance features.

The objective of the invention is to provide a pistol style grasp around a pistol grip in which the web of the trigger hand (between the thumb and index finger) can be positioned above the top of the exposed portion of the trigger while firing.

The above disadvantage is addressed by a lower receiver for a rifle that comprises a rear surface defining a concave handgrip receptacle having a vertical tangent point at a first level. A trigger guard in part defines a trigger opening; the trigger opening having an upper limit surface at a second level below the first level; and a trigger lever extending downwardly from the upper limit surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the two lower receivers.

FIG. 2 is a slightly magnified view of the two lower receivers.

FIG. 3 is a preferred embodiment of the receiver with the added red portion.

FIG. 4 shows the current art.

FIG. 5 is a preferred embodiment of the receiver.

FIGS. 6-10 are photographs showing how the red portion of the diagram shown in the other figures is actually part of the metal structure of the receiver.

FIG. 11 shows a preferred embodiment of the receiver.

FIG. 12 shows a preferred embodiment of the receiver.

FIG. 13 shows that the red section encasing the upper part of the trigger may extend from the left to the right of the trigger guard area as shown on the right or anywhere in between.

FIG. 14 , top row shows how the lower section of the trigger guard can be moved lower to allow a little more room for the index finger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the web of the hand identified with a black marker. The index finger is touching the exposed portion of the trigger. The web of the hand is above the exposed portion of the trigger. The thumb is held away from the grip in order to show the position of the web of the hand relative to the exposed portion of the trigger.

While the images shown are of an AR-15 (or AR-10) lower receiver, the scope of this patent is not limited to the AR Platform style firearms. More generally, the scope of this patent includes:

-   1) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that does not have a fixed     magazine -   2) A semiautomatic shotgun with a folding or telescoping stock -   3) A semiautomatic centerfire firearm that is not a rifle, pistol,     or shotgun, that does not have a fixed magazine.

FIG. 1 shows two lower receivers. The one on the left is a standard lower receiver and the one on the right is the improved version, which encases the upper portion of the trigger, shown in red. FIG. 2 is a slightly magnified view.

In the preferred embodiment, the section of the receiver shown in red in FIGS. 1-3 is part of the receiver, not a separate component fastened to the receiver. However, another embodiment may have the red portion as a separate component fastened to a standard receiver.

FIGS. 6-10 are photographs showing how the red portion of the diagram shown in the other figures is actually part of the metal structure of the receiver. The oval pocket on the side helps to identify this section and is not a necessary structure.

FIG. 4 shows the current art and FIG. 3 shows the added red portion. Note there is an opening thru the red section to allow for full movement of the trigger.

FIG. 13 shows that the red section encasing the upper part of the trigger may extend from the left to the right of the trigger guard area as shown on the right or anywhere in between.

FIG. 14 , top row shows how the lower section of the trigger guard can be moved lower to allow a little more room for the index finger.

Another embodiment may extend the length of the trigger on assemblies with shorter trigger lengths. 

I claim:
 1. A lower receiver for a rifle comprising: a rear surface defining a concave handgrip receptacle having a vertical tangent point at a first level; a trigger guard in part defining a trigger opening; the trigger opening having an upper limit surface at a second level below the first level; a trigger lever extending downwardly from the upper limit surface. 